Drive or Fly: Chula Vista, CA to Mira Mesa, CA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for SAN–SAN. At 22 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

31m

Distance

22.9 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

9 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

2h 34m

2m in the air

Air Distance

19 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chula Vista, CA → SAN 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAN → Mira Mesa, CA 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Chula Vista, CA SAN — San Diego International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

Mira Mesa, CA SAN — San Diego International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SAN and SAN. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

1h 35m

30m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chula Vista, CA → San Diego 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 30m

Arrival 10m

Solana Beach Amtrak Station → Mira Mesa, CA 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From San Diego 7 mi, ~11m drive

To Solana Beach Amtrak Station 9 mi, ~14m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 16m

30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2017

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chula Vista, CA → San Diego (Downtown/Seaport Village) (USP) 11m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 30m

Arrival 10m

San Diego (La Jolla - UC San Diego) (UCS) → Mira Mesa, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From USP — San Diego (Downtown/Seaport Village) 7 mi, ~11m drive

To UCS — San Diego (La Jolla - UC San Diego) 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	31m	2h 34m	1h 35m	1h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$4	$1
Carbon footprint	9 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS, FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

22.9 mi 30m

via CA 15, I 805

Alternative (+1 min)

22.9 mi 31m

via I 805

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Chula Vista, CA to Mira Mesa, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.